Method of and means for closing the toe of circular knit hose



' J. L. GETAZ METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CLOSING THE TOE OF CIRCULAR KNIT HOSE July 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5, 1946 INVENTOR.

July '18, 1950 J. GETAZ METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CLOSING THE TOE OF CIRCULAR KNIT HOSE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1946 July 18, 1950 J. GETAZ 2,515,506

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CLOSING THE TOE OF CIRCULAR KNIT HOSE Filed Feb. s, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7, g Wmmsmwggmm [NVE OR.

Patented July 18, 1950 METHOD MEANS FOR CLOSING THE TO E .OF CIRCULAR KNIT HOSE v James Louis Getaz, New York, N. Y. Y Application February 5,1946, Serial No. 645,528

This invention is related to the manufacture of hosiery and particularly to a method of closing the toe of circular knit hose,

In hosiery which is made on circular knitting machines, it is customary to close the toe by looping the wales which run through the toe pocket, to the wales which run through the instep. In order to make a satisfactory looping seam the loops of these wales are put on the points or a looping machine. One loop in a wale on the. side of the toe pocket and one loop in the opposite wale on the sideof the instep are placed together on one point of the looping ma chine and when the looping seam is made, each stitch of the .seam follows one of, these points and passes through a pair of these loops.

The greater portion of circular knit hose are made by beginning to knit at the top of the hose and the last portion which is knitted is the toe. When the knitting of thetoe is completed,

19 Claims. (01.66-448) 2 the loops of the wales on, the opposite sideof thehose I I Third: These loops after being brought to gether in proper relation must be placed in the correct positions. on the circumference of the looping machine, so that the looping needle will pass through the loops of each pair of wales. v

To accomplish the purpose of this invention use is made of a flexible bandcontaining points which extend at right angles to the length of the band, there being one point for each loop in the circumference of thehose.

a few rounds are added for the looper heading,

then the loops of the knitted fabric are cast from the needles, and in many types of knitting the hose is dropped through the knitting cylinder. As the knitted fabric is flexible and'elastic, it requires a great deal of skill to place the loops on the points of the looping machine in their proper order. Along period of training is required to enable the operator of looping machines to placethese loops quickly enough to obtain a' good production, and it causes a. strain of the eyesight of the operator especially if the fabric is made of colored yarn. i

It is the purpose of this invention to facilitate this work of looping the toefby providing means for holding the loops of each Wale in their proper relative position. By these. means each stitch of the looping seam is madethrough ajpair of loops at the end of the toe without'requiring these loops to be placed on the points Of the looping machine. This enables the looping operator to make the looper seams with a minimum, of effort, and to increase the number of hose which may be looped per machine in a given period of time. I v

In order to hold these loops in their'proper relative position, there are three essential problems which are solved by the. meansshown in this invention. I h V First: The loops must be held so that the weftwise spacing of the centers of these loops is .uni-, form and is the same as the travel of the circum ference of the looping machine for each stroke of the needle.

Second: The loops of the wales on the instep side of the hose must be brought in contact with When the knitting of toe pocket on the knitting machine is completed dthis flexible band is placed against the outer circumference of the knitting needles. The loops of each wale through which the loop ing seam is to be made are still on the needles, and before these loops are cast off, they are transferred to the points of the flexible band. By thevuse of this, flexible bandthese loops are held in their proper relative position for being placed on the looping ,machine. This flexible construction permits the points to be placed around the circumference of the needles and. to

i pass, down throughthe inside of theknitting cylinder after the loops have been transferred. This flexible construction also permitsthe points which hold the loops of the wales on the toe pocket to be brought in contact with the points which holdthe loops of the wales in the instep. The preferred forms of this flexible band consist of a strip of cardboard or soluble plastic which contains'the points which may be formed by punching in a continuous roll In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a development in an enlarged scale of the circular wave of the knitting needles when the loops of knitted fabric are transferred to the flexible band; p i

Figure 2 is a sectional Figurel;

Figure 3 Figure 1;

Figure 4 Figure l; h

Figure 5 is a sectional view along line 5 Figure 1; g I

Figure 6 is a sectional view along line 6 Figure l;

Figure 7 Figure 1;

Figure 8 Figure l;

Figure 9 Figure l; Figure 10 is view .along line of is a sectional .view along line 3 or is a sectional view along line 4 of is a sectional view along line I of is a sectional view along line 8 of is a sectional view along line 9 of a plan viewof the mechanism for 3 feeding the flexible band to the cylinder of the knitting machine;

Figure 11 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an elevation in an enlarged scale showing the hose placed on the dial of the looping machine;

Figure 13 is a sectional view along line l3-l3 of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a plan view of the edge of the looper dial;

Figure 15 is a plan view of the 1351. 2? Qf the knitting cylinder;

Figure 16 shows the flexible band when it is made of plastic material for f ner gauges.

The needles l5 are of the usual construction. They are half long butt and half short butt, and contain butts l6, latche I! and hooks 18. a sho in Fig e ho 5 is rawn b tween the sinkers 20' by the hook l8 at the knit: tin point o e o F ure 1. T he r h Qi' h nitt p in l c o r the needle is a irci lar' cam 21 which is raised to the position shown ig-tir 1 it is des r d to t ansfer the ns wh a n t e needles In a o tio at the cy nder where the sed es ar a se t sinkers arewithdrawn from the fabric, as shown iii'F-isure a d As. t e need es are raised tam 2 e latches H are eld p by the u d c is. holdin up at he l che has. t e oo s L and the K it d fab s LQ -n F gu e 3 an the c t nu o a d ntilthe needles reach th position shown in Figur a 1. By me n de c ibe o the flexible band Zli; which has pr ic i s nt 2.1 n its, up e edge isplaced against the outer surface of the n' q es just above th nkers 2.0,- The P130: in; o i and so time that the first of the some 21 i ace a s he first lon bu t needle 28 h i is raised to the p sit on shown in Figure 4. When a needle in this position the latch I l is held by cam 22 and the height oi ii nc d e is s that. th op o po nt 21 i b low t e atch 11,, when the la s held up.

and the spoon of the latch is below the top of point '21 n he, atc s u y o ne a he atch i p in n down ar As th nts Zl a e 'ii ced ns the hanks of h eed hil he hes are h ld tip, the e points are ee the shanks or he n dles. a d e spoons. of the latches when the latches are fully opened as shown inFigure 5.

.t e th n edles 1 pa s the a d cam 22, the latches are free to open, and the, loops 19. come in contact. on the inner side of the knitting needles with the disc 23. This disc turns on the bearing 34, which is supported from the frame of the knitting machine or from the cutter plate 81. Disc 23 is of such diameter and set at such an angle, as shown in Figure 15, that its ed e follows, the circle of the inside of the needles from point 24 to point 25. This disc 23 has a toothed, edge and as the inner portion of loops l9 come in contact with the edge of the disc, they cause the disc to turn and as they follow the circumference of the disc they are carried downward from point 24 to point 25 over the latches ll and the points 21, as shown in Figure 6, into the openings 29 i band 26 as shown in Figure 1 and Figure '7.

After the loops 19- have been pressed down on to the points 21, the butts [6 of the needles l5. ar d wn down b he, c m 3 wh h causes the loops I9 to be shed over the hooks l 8 as shown 4 in Figure 8, and the loops l9 are then transferred from the needles to the flexible band 25. The cam 30 catches the first long butt needle 28 and after needle 28 passes cam 3% this cam is moved in against the cylinder 20 so that it will engage the short butt needles when the long butt needles have. passed. The short butt needles which are in advance of needle 2'8are drawn down .by cam 32 with the loops below the latches which come down to the level of the sinkers 26 a5 shown in Figure 9. When the short butt needles 3| have passed. the knitting point again they pass through the wave described above for the long butt needles and the loops on all the needles are transferred to the flexible band 26. As these loops aretransferred to the flexible band 26 and the needles are drawn down to the level of the sinkers by cam 36, the loops are all shed. from th nee es nd t e ose is fr to an down'thr u t e cyl nd 35 t t kn tting'machine with the flexible band attached to the .0.91 at 121 612d 0 t e, toe pocket, one loop being around each point 2! of the flexible band.

The eans iQ la ing the flexible a d it automa ica ly agains th o side of e eedles as men oned abo e is show n g es 10 and ll. A bracket 35 is supported on the frame of the knitting machine, and it contains a bearing 3,! which Supports an arm 38. On this arm 38 are three rotating discs 39, 4i) and 4| which are used tofeed the flexibl and to the needles I5 n th cylinder 3.5,, as descri ed el Disc 3,9, is oi the same diameter as the outside of the needle circle, and is used to bring the band 26, i contact with the needles l5. It is mounted on a bearing 42 on the, arm 38. On its circumference it' has projections 43 which project th o gh th ope ngs 29, n th nd 26,, and hold band 26 on part of the circumferonce of disc 39 from point 48 to point 49 as shown, in Figure 10. There is also a groove 44 in thi's'circumference and into this groove 44 fits the point of a guard when disc 39 is in contact with needles. l5, and strips band 26 from the. c rcumf rence of disc 3 as described e .At one point on the lower part of the circumference of disc 39v is a, IlQtch 4.6 into which fits a pigoiection 41, which is mounted on the frame of the knittingv machine and which causes disc 3.9, to stop. at the proper point on the completion of one revolution.

Disc 4|! is mounted on bearing 50 on the arm 38, its diameter is half the diameter of disc 39., and on its circumference is a knife 5| which cuts the band 26 into two equal pieces for each hose, one, piece for the loops on the side of the toe. pocket and one for the loops on the side of the instep. The projections 43 on disc 39 fit into recesses in disc 40 and serve as gear teeth for driving. di c DiSc 4,I is mounted on bearing 53 on arm 38 and carries a reel of band 2 6 which is fed to the outer circumference of the knitting needles by the turning of disc 39.

' A pin 55 is. mounted on the ring gear 56 and turns with the cylinder 35. Adjacent to ring: gear 56 is a sleeve 51 mounted on the frame of the knitting machine and within this sleeve a pi l). which has, a vertical movement controlled by the of the knitting machine. Connetted to. the top. of thisv pin is a bell crank 59, one arm 60 of this bell crank is engaged by pin 55, when, the bell crank is in the full line position shown; in Figure. 11,'but the pin passes under aiz'n' 60 without engagin it when the bell crank 59' is in the dotted position. The arm 6! of bell crank 59 slides vertically in agroove on theend of arm38.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows: When the knittingof the toe pocket is completed, the speed of rotation of the knitting cyl inder is shifted to low gear by mechanism not shown. While the short butt knitting needles are passing through the knitting point at line 2 of Figure l, cam 2| israis'ed to the position shown in Figure 1, cams 22, 30 and 32 are placed in position as mentioned above and the pin 58 is lowered, so that the bell crank 59 moves down from the dotted line position to the full line position in Figure 11 and pin 55 will engage arm 60 of bell crank 59. These-moves are actuated by" the control drum of the knitting machine by mechanism which is not shown.

"When pin 55 engages arm 69 of the bell crank 59, arm BI is moved in a clockwise'direction and moves arm 38 from the full line position tothe dotted line position shown in Figure 10. With the movement of arm '38, the circumference of disc 39 comes in contact with the outer surface of the knitting needles at point 49, andthe pro jections 43, extending through the openings 29- of band 26 enterthe spaces between the shanks of the needles l5. This contact between the needles l and the projections '43 centers the points 2'! on theshanks of needles [5, and causes disc 39 to rotate with the cylinder 35 as shown by the arrow in Figure 10. As disc 39 turns, the band 26 isdrawnfrom the reel on disc 4!. The contact of disc 40 pressesthe band 26 on disc 39 so that projections 43 extend through openings 29 asmentionedabove'. Theband 25 has been cut by the knife 5l' on disc 40, so that the end of the band 26is at'the point of tan g'ency 49 between disc 39 and the needle circle when disc 39 begins to turn. Pin 55 is located at the proper point on the ring gear 56, so that it turns the bell crank 59 at the correct time to place the first point 21 of band 26 against the first long buttneedle 2B.

' As the arm 38 is moved counter-clockwise by the bell crank 59, the notch 46 on the lower part of the circumference of disc 39"is'drawn from the projection 41. As the disc 39 rotates, projection 41 rests against the circumference of disc 39 and holds it in place in contact with the needle circle against the pull of spring 62. When the disc 39 has completed one revolution, the notch 46 fits onto the projection 4'! and 'the arm 38 is pulled into the full line position by spring 62. With this movement'of arm 38 to the full lineposition, the projections 4-3 are removed from contact with the shanks of the needles l5 and the rotation of disc 39is stopped until the completion of the next hose.

The guard 45 is mounted on the frame of the knitting machineand after the first point 2'l of band 26 passes point 49, the point of guard 45 fitting into the groove 44 on the circumference of disc 39, strips band "26 from disc 39-, and band 26 is held against the needles I 5 by guard 45 from point 49 to point 63. At this point as shown in Figure l and Figure 8 the loops have been shed from the needles andtransferred to the points on band 26. i

After the disc 39 has been placed in contact with the needle circle by bell crank 59, pin 58 is "raised by the drum of the machine, raising bell crank 59 so that arm 60 is above the top of pin 55, before this pin passes the bell crank on the next revolution of the cylinder 35.

When the loops of all the needles have been transferred to the points of band 26, cams 2|, 22, 39 and 32 are thrown out of action until the completion of the next hose, and the normal speed of rotation of the cylinder 35 is resumed.

By the means of this invention, the transferring of the loops from the needles to the flexible band is accomplished without stopping the knitting machine, and without attention on the part of the operator.

After the hose has been dropped through the cylinder of the knittin machine the flexible band attached to the end of the toe pocket, the hose is turned wrong side out, and the two portions of the flexible band are brought together with their edges even, and the hose is ready to be placed on the looping machine, as shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14. One portion of the flexible band holds the loops which were on the long butt needles on which the instep wales are knitted, and the other portion of this band holds the loops which were on the short butt needles on which the wales of the toe portions are knitted.

The two portions of band 25 with fabric attached are placed. on dial 659 of the looping machine so that holes 10 in the band 26 fit over pins il in the circumference of the dial, and they are held in place by the clamp 12, which is fastened at one end by the hinge l3 and the other by clasp l4. After the hose is placed on the dial of the looping machine it through a trimmer, not shown, which is similar to the trimmer now in use in the customary method of looping for cutting the looper heading. This trimmer cuts through band 26 just above the loops [9 which lie in the openings 29 as shown in the left portion of Figure 12. The pins H hold the portion of the band 25 in position on the dial 39 so that the holes F5 are in the path of the looping needle 15. The travel of the circumference of the looping dial 59 between each stroke of the needle 16 is equal to the spacing of holes 15, so that the needle 16 passes successively through holes 15 with each stroke of the needle and the rotation of the dial, in the same manner as the looping needle passes successively over the points of the looper dial in. the ordinary looping machine. The thread on needle "55 passes through each pair of wales of the knitted fabric, one Wale of each pair being in the instep portion of the hose and one being in the toe portion. The action of the sewing mechanism of the looping machine is the same as that now in general use and forms a chain stitch seam on the reverse side oi the fabric.

If the band 25 is made of cardboard aslit I8 is punched from each hole '55 to each opening 29' and after the looping seam is completed, the fabric is removed from the looper dial, turned right side out and the remaining part of band 25. which is shown on the left portion of Figure 12 is pulled from the fabric.

The preferred type of band 26 is made of soluble plastic, as shown in Figure 16, and if made of this material, the slit i8 and the holes 15 may be omitted. In this case the needle E6 punctures the band. 29 at points 89 with each stroke, and may be made to catch the first loop 69 of each pair of wales instead of the second loop. T! as shown in Figure 12. The soluble plastic is better suited to finer gauges and when it is used, the remaining part of band 25 may be left on the hose, andbe removed by solution in a suitable bath such as the. dye batl'i orwetting out bath before boarding.

.I claim? 1. A method of closing the toe of nose knitted on the needles of a circular knitting machine which comprises raising the knitted loops at said toe above the sinkers in said machine by raising said needles with their latches closed, placing adjacent said needles and below the latches thereof a band having on one side spaced projections which register with said needles, depressing said loops over said latches and onto said projections, lowering said needles to shed said loops therefrom, bringing together portions of said band to align pairs of said loops, and sewing through aligned pairs of loops.

2. A method of maintaining uniform spacing between the loops at an end of knitted fabric after said loops are cast from the needles of the knitting machine, which comprises raising said loops above the sinkers in said machine by raising said needles with their latches closed, placing adjacent said needles a serrated band with each of the projections in said band opposite one of said needles and below the latch thereof, depressing said loops over said latches onto said pro jections, and lowering said needles to shed said loops therefrom.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein each projection on the band registers with the adjacent needle below the latch thereof when said latch is closed, but above the spoon of said latch when said latch is open.

4. A method of maintaining uniform spacing between the loops at an end of hosiery knit on a circular knitting machine after said loops are cast from the needles of said machine, which comprises, at respectively successive portions of the circular course of said needles, raising said loops above said sinkers by raising said needles while blocking their latches from opening, reeling onto said cylinder against said needles a flexible band having at its upper edge projections which register with said needles above said sinkers and below said latches when said latches are closed but below the spoons of said latches when open, allowing said latches to open and depressing said loops over said latches onto said projections, and lowering said needles to shed said loops.

5. In a circular knitting machine having a cylinder carrying latching needles, the combination of a flexible band having projections formed along one edge thereof at intervals equal to those between said needles, means for feeding said band around said cylinder with each of said projections adjacent one of said needles below the latch thereof, and means for depressing the loop of fabric formed on each of said needles over the latch thereof onto one of said projections.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a cylinder carrying latching needles, the combination with said machine of a flexible band having projections formed along one edge at intervals equal to those between said needles, means for storing a length of said band, feeding means engaging said band and adapted to move said band toward said cylinder at a velocity equal to the peripheral velocity of said needles, guard means holding said band against said needles through a portion only of their circular course, cutting means operative at regular intervals to sever said band into desired lengths, and means for depressing said loops over said latches onto said projections.

'7. A device for holding the loop at the toe of circular knit hosiery for sewing through said loops to close said toe, said device comprising a flexible band havingformed along one edge projections centered at intervals equal to those between said loops, said projections being tapered toward their extremities and having near their roots opposed indentations, and having a row of holes along said band each of said holes being aligned with one of said projections, and a slit in said band extending from each of said holes to the exterior of said band in the space between said projections.

8. A device for holding the loops at the toe of circular knit hosiery for sewing through said loops to close said toe, said device comprising a flexible band, having formed along one edge projections centered at intervals equal tothose between said loops, and having a row of holes along said band, each of said holes being aligned with one of said projections.

9. A device for retaining in proper relative position the loops at an end of kitted fabric com prising a flexible band of material soluble in a solvent which will not adversely affect said fabric and having formed along one edge projections spaced at intervals equal to those between said loops.

10. A method of closing the toe of hose knitted on the needles of a circular knitting machine which comprises raising the knitted loops at said toe above the sinkers in said machine by raising said needles with their latches closed, plac ing adjacent said needles and below the latches thereof a band of soluble material having on one side spaced projections which register with said needles, depressing said loops over said latches onto said projections, lowering said needles to shed said loops therefrom, bringing together portions of said band to align pairs of said loops, sewing through aligned pairs of loops, and thereafter dissolving said band by immersion in solvent.

11. In a circular knitting machine, a cylinder having longitudinal grooves, independent needles in said grooves, a flexible band, feeding means engaging said band and adapted to move said band around said needles, timing means adapted to actuate said feeding means so as to align the end of said band with a selected needle.

12. In a circular knitting machine, a. cylinder having longitudinal grooves, latching needles in said grooves, means for rotating said cylinder, means for feeding yarn to said needles, means for reciprocating said needles to draw loops of said yarn, elements adjacent said needles for receiving said loops, and an inclined surface engaging said loops for converting the rotating motion of said cylinder into motion of said loops longitudinally of said needles to transfer said loops from said needles to said elements.

13. In a circular knitting machine, a cylinder having longitudinal grooves, latching needles in said grooves, means for rotating said cylinder, means for feeding yarn to said needles, means for reciprocating said needles to draw loops of yarn, element adjacent said needles for receiving said loops, and an inclined disc having peripheral projections which engage said needles to impart rotating motion. to said disc, said disc being adapted to engage said loops and depress them over the latches of said needles onto said elements.

14. In a circular knitting machine having a cylinder, latching needles carried by said cylinder and sinkers between said needles, the combination therewith of means for raising the latches of said needles above said si kers, means for blocking said latches from opening during such raising, a flexible band having projections formed along one edge thereof at intervals equal to those between said needles, means for feedin said band around said cylinder with each of said projections adjacent one of said needles below the latch thereof, means for depressing the loop of fabric formed on each of said needles over the latch thereof onto one of said projections, and means for lowering said needles to shed said loops.

15. In a circular knitting machine having a cylinder carrying latching needles, the combina tion therewith Of a flexible band having projections formed along one edge thereof at intervals equal to those between said needles, means for feeding said band around said cylinder with each of said projections adjacent one of said needles below the latch thereof, and means for engaging the loop of fabric formed on each of said needles and depressing said loop to open the latch of said needle and pass over said latch onto the projection adjacent thereto.

16. A method of maintaining uniform spacing between the loops at an end of fabric knit on the latched needles of a circular knitting machine after said loops are cast from said needles which comprises placing adjacent said needles a flexible band having upwardly extending projections which register with said needles below the latches thereof, allowing said latches to open, depressing said loops over said latches onto said projections, and moving said needles and said band relatively to one another to shed said loops from said needles.

1?. A device for securing the loops at the ends of two portions of the fabric at the toe of circular knit hosiery for closing said toe, which comprises a pair of band portions having spaced projections each adapted to engage one of said loops, said band portions having perforations each so associated with one of said projections that a loop offabric in place thereon encircles such perforation, a clamp for holding the two said band portions together with their respective perforations in registration, and means for sewing through said perforations to secure said loops.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said band portions and said clamp are provided with complementary engaging means so arranged as to maintain the two said band portions in proper relative position.

19. In a circular knitting machine, a cylinder having longitudinal grooves, latching needles in said grooves, means for rotating said cylinder, means for feeding yarn to said needles, means for reciprocating said needles to draw loops of said yarn, elements adjacent said needles for receiving said loops, and. an inclined disc engaging said loops to impart rotating motion to said disc and motion to said loops longitudinally of said needles to move said loops onto said elements.

JAMES LOUIS GE'IAZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,188,125 Williams June 20, 1916 1,194,802 Williams Aug. 15, 1916 1,715,399 Williams June 4, 1929 2,411,452 Mills Nov. 19, 1946 

